play it by ear

idiom

: to do something without special preparation
I don't know how they'll react to our proposal, so we'll just have to play it by ear and hope for the best.

Examples of play it by ear in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
During the initial phases, there was a lot of issues with the tech and having to play it by ear and sort of trial and error. — Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 10 Feb. 2025 Cyclists who play it by ear, or eye, are defeating the point of the system. — Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2025

Rhymes for play it by ear

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Browse Nearby Words

play into the hands of someone
play it by ear
play it cool
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“Play it by ear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20it%20by%20ear. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

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